A 16-member contingent of the Archery Association of India (AAI) Friday left Chennai for the first of the two World Cup meets in Santo Domingo in Dominican Republic April 1-5.

The second World Cup meet would be played at Porec in Croatia April 15-19.

The contingent has three coaches and a manager. The contingent also has three reigning national champions in Rahul Banerjee, Laishram Bombayla Devi (both recurve) and Namita Yadav (women's compound).

The team also includes Dola Banerjee, who won the World Cup finals at Dubai last November, and the fourth leg of last year's World Cup at Dover in England.

The Dover triumph enabled her to qualify for the Dubai World Cup finals where she won the title and $20,000 as prize money.

Jayanta Talukdar, who won the men's recurve title at Porec in 2006, is also in recurve side.

Talukdar, who missed the World Championship last year owing to an injury and poor form, regained his place in the Indian squad that participated in the 15th Asian championship at Xi'an in China.

The newly elected secretary general of the AAI, Pareshnath Mukherjee told mediapersons here that despite the absence of Asian archery superpowers South Korea and China, the 300-odd archers confirmed to compete at the first World Cup would have all the best known names of Europe and the Americas.

'It is always difficult to predict the outcome of the first World Cup as because all the archers are going to an international competition after a long break. The Indian contingent is well prepared and there is every reason to look forward to an encouraging performance,' he said.

The recurve teams will have a new coach in Lee Wang Woo of Korea. The world-renowned coach, engaged by the Mittal Champions Trust, will add weight to the team's campaign.

Apart from Lee, the contingent will have Sanjeeva Singh as manager, Richpal Singh and Purnima Mahato as other coaches.

The contingent:

Recurve, Men: Jayanta Talukdar, Rahul Banerjee, Mangal Singh Champia and Tarundeep Rai

Women: L. Bombayla Devi, Dola Banerjee, V. Pranitha and Chekrovolu Swuro

Compound, Men: Kh. Ratan Kumar, Isiah R. Sanam, Chungda Sherpa and Babban Kumar

Women: Jhano Hansdah, Bheigyabati Chanu, Namita Yadav, Vrushali Gorle